The Founders of Hogwarts
by Immzie
Summary: The lives of the four friends that founded Hogwarts.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi. This is just for fun; although I am a quick writer when I get into a story. I would love for you to leave your thoughts and reviews after you have read it- it will help me improve for what I am planning**

 **Thanks**

 **Immzie**

Their friendship started on a stormy night, when a knock at the door turned out to be a young girl. Her blonde hair dripped with rain water, and she shivered as she stood in the mud.

"Oh, my dear!" The woman cried. "Come inside, come inside." With the dim light of a flickering candle, she led the girl from room to room, until at last, there was a bright fire throwing out heat. "Come, sit, dry off, my child."

And when the girl was curled up, a tray of bread and butter in front of her, the daughter crept in. Her brown hair was flowing around her shoulders, and in her hands was an old book, clearly loved and well read.

"Who are you?" The girl demanded, flouncing down to the chair in the corner of the room, bouncing on it before placing the book on the table next to her.

"Rowena!" The woman said, shocked.

Rowena smiled. "Sorry. My name is Rowena Ravenclaw. May I enquire about yours?"

"Helga." The girl muttered. "Hufflepuff. I live across the hills, but the storm caught me."

Rowena's eyes lit up; she knew what it meant, for the girl to live so close. "Well. Why didn't you use magic then?"

"Rowena!" Her name was a warning this time, her mother angry at her bluntness.

"Because I didn't know-"

"How? I can teach you."

"I know magic." Helga said. "I just didn't know of anyone around was magical or not."

"Most are."

"Most." Helga smiled gently. "Not all."

Rowena opened her mouth, but her mother shook her head. "What do we say, my dear?"

"Knowing does not mean I can tell." Rowena said, her tone telling Helga that it was not the first time this phrase had been uttered.

"Exactly." The mother looked towards Helga and smiled. "You may stay the night, child. Tomorrow, Rowena will walk you home."

"I can find my way."

"I'm sure you can, but I would feel better if she walked you back." She stood, nodding towards Helga and smiling at her daughter. "Show her to the spare room, Rowena." Her mother walked out, and Helga watched as Rowena muttered the numbers up to ten and then stood.

"Show me what you can do." It was an order.

Helga smiled and raised her hands, pulling a short length of wood from the belt around her waist. It was dark brown, almost black, and one end was worn smooth from use. She muttered a word, and the scent of spring rose up, as roses sprang from the end of her wand, snaking their way around the room and growing on the walls. Another word, and they burst into strange butterflies, that beat their wings once, then twice, and faded into nothingness.

There was a second of silence, then: "How did you do that?" Rowena said, walking up to her and taking her wand, studying it closely. "Each flower was exactly the same, so it was obvious they were not real, but the butterflies?"

Helga grinned, strangely glad to have confused the blunt girl. "Magic." She replied.

Miles away from the two witches meeting for the first time, two other families were meeting up for the first time in weeks. The families had known each other for generations, and though they lived on other sides of the country, it never mattered the time that passed between seeing each other again.

The parents came together with hugs from the fathers and kisses on the cheeks from the mothers, each racing to tell the others about exciting news. Our son found a spell for this, well, our found a potion for that. It was a competition; but one that started and always ended in laughter.

While the adults were catching up, the two boys looked at each other, the black haired one blinking slowly at the other boy.

"Godric." The red headed boy drawled in greeting, thrusting out his hand.

"Salazar." The first replied, taking his hand. A second passed before they both broke out into easy grins, Godric pulling Salazar towards him and slapping him on the back. "Its been a while, Sal. How are you?"

The boy shrugged. "It's going to be a cold winter."

Godric resisted the temptation to role his eyes; his life long friend had always made everything out to be bigger than it was. A simple question could be turned into a riddle. "Like that ever affected you." He replied. "I still remember the time when we were children, you know." Salazar had burnt down their house, with a fire that they could not put out. Day's went by before enough wizards had come together, only just stronger as a group than the little boy was alone.

"It was an accident!" Salazar grinned. "Besides, it worked, didn't it? The warmth from that was the same as the summers sun."

"Yes. Burnt just as badly too."

"Don't complain, Gryffindor. You loved having my family live with you for the year."

"It was certainly lively, Sal."

They both chuckled, looking towards their parents, before Godric's eyes turned sad and the laughter faded.

"How long?" Salazar asked quietly.

"Not long."

"That's why we are here, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Strange, how they crow about our success yet cannot even look us in eyes when its time to say goodbye." Salazar put his hand on his friends shoulder. "How are you, Godric? Really?"

"My mother is dying, and there is nothing we can do. No magic in the world that can save her. How do you think I feel?" The boys eyes flashed as he stared at his friend, a mix of courage and stubbornness shining in them, masking the pain that Salazar knew he felt.

"Well." Salazar said softly. "However you feel, I don't care what our parents say. I'm staying here until I know you are okay. Whatever happens."

Godric smiled, though it was a smile filled with shadows and sadness. "You're a good friend, Sal."

The red head shrugged, smiling back. "I know. Although I have seen you duel, and being your friend is better for me that being your enemy."


	2. Chapter 2

Three weeks later, Helga walked into the house to see her mother at the table, a crumpled parchment in her hands and an old owl at her side. A tear had made its way down her cheek, hovering on the edge of falling, but she didn't notice; or did not care.

"Mother?"

The woman jumped, looking up at her. "Helga. When did you come in?"

"Just now. Are you all right?" She took careful steps towards her mother, sitting down opposite her.

"I..." The woman shook her head. "I do not know, my child."

"Then what is wrong?" Helga frowned; her gentle nature meant she hated it when those around her were sad. But she never knew what to say to them to make it better. She reached forwards and took the letter from her mother, scanning the words quickly. It was short, the letter, and stained with what Helga knew to be another persons tears. Someone had died. "Who was she?"

"A friend from long ago." Her mother replied after seconds of silence. "I have not thought about her in years. I did not even..." She trailed off.

"We must go." Helga said. "They ask you to go, so you have to."

"But-"

"Mother. Friendship doesn't change, no matter the distance or the time. So you should go and say goodbye."

Her mother gave Helga a watery smile. "What would I do without you?"

"Struggle." Helga stood. "Come on. Go and pack." She pulled her mother to her feet and pushed her into her bedroom.

Minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Someone calling her name was the only warning she got before Rowena and her mother walked in, leather bags strapped to their backs, Rowena holding an old glove.

"Your ma got the letter too?" Rowena said, looking around. She had been in the house before; but every time, Helga felt as if she was examining it, looking for something strange, something different. She didn't have a chance to reply when Rowena continued. "Oh yes, its here." The brown haired girl leant over the table, scanning it. "So apparently our parents have all these friends we have never known. All pure-bloods. It's like we have been left out of everything."

"Rowena." Her mother sighed. Helga smiled; in the last weeks, it had been clear that was the tone her mother used most, when Rowena's curiosity got too much for her. "Helga, my daughter seems to think she has been left out of something big, because I know people."

"Well, we don't know them, so clearly we are missing out." Rowena said.

"There are thousands of witches and wizards here, Rowena. You cannot know them all."

"Your mother has a point." Helga said. Rowena scowled; she hated losing arguments.

"I brought something for a portkey." Rowena muttered, throwing the glove down, almost like a challenge.

Footsteps sounded as Helga's mother walked back in. She nodded to Rowena and her mother. "Ready?" She asked.

Rowena pointed her wand at the glove, and it glowed for a second before fading. "One." She said. "Two." They all held one hand over the glove. "Three." They all took hands at the same time, and with a small flash, they disappeared from the room.

And all appeared in a small room, empty apart from a bucket in one corner, filled with all sorts of strange items. Rowena threw the glove in and walked to the door.

"Coming?" She asked.

"We will go first." Her mother said, pushing her back. "You don't even know them. And." Her voice lowered as she walked out of the room. "We don't want you to scare them all."

They had both gone before Rowena could reply.

"Come on." Helga said, linking arms with her friend. "And remember, Rowena. We may not know them but they are mourning. Don't..."

"Be myself?"

"Exactly."

They walked out, to see their mothers embracing someone else, and patting a young man on the head- who ducked away from them.

"That's Godric." Rowena whispered. "It was his mother."

"I swear, you know everything."

"I listen. And read."

"Other people's letters."

She didn't even blush. "When I have too. Besides. They say he's one of the best duellist."

"Rowena..."

"Yes?"

"Whatever you are planning, stop."

"Girls!" Helga's mother gestured over to them, and Helga pulled Rowena to them. "I'd like you to meet the Gryffindors, and the Slytherins."

On one side stood the boy they already knew to be Godric, and his father. The likeness was clear.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Helga said. They both smiled at her sadly, thanking her without words.

"Can I ask-" Rowena started, but Helga pulled her arm. Rowena coughed. "Sorry. Nothing."

On the other side stood a red headed boy the same age as them, with two tight faced adults behind him. His own parents.

The boy stuck out his hand. "Salazar. I would say it was nice to meet you, but not in these circumstances." There was a glimmer of a smile on his face. "I think, after today, we four must talk. I've heard many stories of our parents and what they were like when they were young."

"That would be nice." Helga said.

Rowena chuckled. "Is this going to be something our parents regret?"

"Yes." Came the chorus of the old friends, although even Helga could tell there was a voice missing; the voice of the mother that Godric had lost. She decided then, she would do anything to help him, because she knew everyone needed a shoulder to lean on when they grieved.


	3. Chapter 3

My Dear Helga  
You say being kind to everyone is how everyone should live, but do you mean kind by lying, or do you mean kind by saying the truth? There is, after all, the phrase 'You must be cruel to be kind'.  
I know we have had this argument before, but I still think a true friendship cannot run on just kindness. If you think I am wrong, you must tell me. How can we learn otherwise?  
But on to better things. I hear from another source (A certain person who sticks her cheerful nose into everything) that you are incredibly good at cooking. And magic with food. I must see this for myself one day. Just a warning.  
Talk soon,  
Salazar.

Ro,  
You say knowledge is more important but its not! Without the courage to step forwards and try that new thing, or open that strange book, then you will have nothing, therefore bravery is what every person should try to have. Think about it; without bravery, where would we be? Whoever the first wizard was; would they even be a wizard without the courage to try using the gift he was given?  
You're not going to win this, Rowena, you've known me for months now, surely you have worked out how stubborn I can be.  
Anyway, I didn't just write to you to carry this argument on; I wanted to tell you that we are travelling for the summer, and father says we might drop in on you and Helga (I still don't know if this is a gift for me to see you both again, or an excuse for him to see his friends). Before you ask though; we are both doing well. The house is quiet without her, and I still think she will walk in through the door. But does that feeling ever go away?  
See you soon  
Godric.

Helga  
I can't believe you've gone away for christmas. Again!  
What am I meant to do without you?  
How is it? Are you around witches or non-magical? Are their christmas's even the same as ours? What do they give each other?  
I've always wanted to know about the non-magical, but mother says I can't ask as it will make people suspicious (and I already know you agree with her, you are both so boring)  
But talking of magic and gifts, Salazar and I have been talking. We both think its a pity, you know, that so many children don't know what they are or how to use magic throughout their lives. We four have the knowledge of magic. We both want to see if we can pass it on. Teach the next generations how to use it.  
Think about it, Helga. Our wisdom would never die out! It could lve on for year after us because we could teach so many people.  
Just think (and yes, I'm using your weakness here) of all those magical children who are alone and do not know what they are. We could give them a family.  
Think about it.  
Rowena.

Sal  
How come I hear about this from Rowena? Don't tell me you were too scared to talk to me about it; this is a wonderful idea!  
We are becoming, as they say, the brightest of our time. I mean, who in England have not heard of us? Its been five years since we met the girls, and in that time, so much has change.  
We could change even more. We could change the world!  
But if we do this; and I think we are going to, with all the thought we have put into it, we must plan more.  
Where would our school be? It would have to be large enough to fit many people in it, but safe enough that non magical cannot find us.  
What of lessons? I believe dueling would be good; charms, maybe. Potions (although you are much better at that than I) would be good.  
And how do we choose the students? We all argue about this. I want the brave. Ro wants those, she says 'with brains', Helga wants to take in everyone (we would never get a place that big)  
But what of you?  
We could do this, Sal, we really could.  
Godric

My friends.  
I'VE FOUND THE PERFECT PLACE.  
Rowena.


	4. Chapter 4

They met in a forest so wide, it looked as if it never ended. Rowena was bouncing on her feet, too excited to stand still. The strange energy she had as a girl had not left over the years, it had grown with her as she turned into a woman.

"I thought you found somewhere." Salazar said, looking around. "Or have you dragged us here as a joke, Ro?"

She snorted. "Lighten up, Salazar. We have to walk to get there." She started moving through the trees. "Oh. And watch out for the animals."

"What animals?" Helga called, just as a howl rose up around them. "Rowena. What animals?"

"Nothing to worry about!" Her friend's voice floated back to them. "Come on."

"Don't worry, Hufflepuff." Godric said, bowing to her, a grin on his face. "I shall protect you from the horrors within."

"Don't listen to him." Salazar whispered, throwing his arm over Helga's shoulder. "He's scared of spiders, you know."

The two started walking, leaving Godric behind them. "Once." He shouted over to them. "That was once, Slytherin, and you ran from it as well."

Helga laughed. "I'm so glad I met you two."

There was a pause, before Salazar smiled. "Right back at you, Hufflepuff."

"You are all so slow!" Rowena shouted.

"You're impatient!"

But the three sped up, and soon they were at a clearing, next to the smiling Rowena.

"Ready?" She asked. "Go through."

Helga looked at the others before stepping through, and her gasp made the others step through.

The trees opened up to a place almost impossible. it was in the valley of two hills, both bight green from the trees that decorated them. On one side lay a lake longer than they could see, with bright blue water that shimmered in the light. And to the side lay a castle, half in ruins and covered by ivy.

But it was perfect, and it was beautiful.

"How did you even find this place?" Godric asked.

"I explore."

"And you found this place?"

"Yes. Its wonderful, isn't it?"

Godric was about to reply when the air around them went cold, ice forming on the trees around them.

"Ah..." Rowena muttered. "Wonderful except that."

"Dementors." Salazar muttered. "Perfect."

"Wands at the ready." Rowena said, pulling hers out of her pocket. Helga reached up and took hers out of her hair as the two boys flicked their wrists, untying them from the inside of their sleeves.

"I thought you were smart, Ro!"

"I am, I worked out that we can deal with them."

The ice grew thicker, and the silence fell over them.

They raised their wands in unison. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Silver shot out from each wand. From Gordic's came a lion, the bravery from his soul. Rowena's was an eagle, who flew around her before hovering above the ground. From Helga's wand appeared a badger and Salazar's, a snake that hissed as it appeared.

They rose together and formed a wall between the dementors and the friends, pushing the dementors back.

"I hate you, Rowena!" Godric shouted.

She laughed. "On three. One...two...Three!" The silvery animals exploded, pushing the dementors back, away, away until they had disappeared from view.

Helga frowned. "Well, that's one thing we will have to sort out of we use this place."

"Oh, don't worry about them. Think bigger. We could make a shield to keep them out. We could use them to keep the place safe. We could..." She carried on talking as they walked down the hill towards the castle, but the others tuned her out; something they had all learnt to do when they first met.

"What are you thinking?" Godric asked Salazar quietly.

The man looked the castle up and down carefully. "It has promise. There would be lots of work to do, but it might work."

"And now what are you really thinking?"

Salazar smiled. "It would be a nice place for pure bloods to learn and feel safe. Be able to be themselves without the fear of the non magical."

"Sal..." Helga said quietly. "We open a school, it will be for everyone, not just the pureblood."

Salazar pursed his lips. He would not argue with Helga, even if he disagreed with her. For him, Pure blood was what was important. It was the most important thing about magic, it kept it strong. Mixing it with others would ruin what magic was. But the others disagreed with him; and he knew he would never change their minds.

"We will be a school." Godric said. "We will take whoever comes to us." He grinned at his friend. "Besides, Sal. This will be a chance for you to show off to people. Even just by building this place back up, it will show people how powerful you are." Godric knew how to speak to his friend; he knew Salazars strengths, what he really wanted.

Sometimes, it scared Godric, the hunger he saw in his friends eyes. The drive for ambition, to be seen, to be known. The ideas of pureness, of never mixing blood. But under that, Salazar was more, he was loyal and a good friend. Godric just hoped that, in time, the danger his friend posed would lessen. If he could see what good they could do. If they could make him see that the blood was not important, then the four of them could make a difference.


	5. Chapter 5

It took them a week to fix the castle, rebuild it so it was once more a place to live in. Every room was magically reinforced so the walls would never crumble with age again, and then it took another three days for Rowena to come up with a spell to stop the dementors getting in.

That same spell also stopped them apperating; but it was all Rowena could do. It was better, she said, as it also meant others could not come and steal their place. The other three had not bothered saying that it was highly unlikely to happen.

It was late evening two weeks after the four had moved into the castle when Rowena came up with the idea. She was lying down at one end of a chair, her feet in Godrics lap, watching Helga lazily decorate the room in flowers. Salazar was sat in the corner, a smirk on his face as he changed the colours every time Helga looked away.

"Magic..." Rowena muttered.

"What are you planning, Ro?" Godric asked, pushing her feet off.

"Just..." She sat up and looked at him. "This is meant to be a magic school, yes? So why have it mundane? Turn it into magic. We should have... I don't know. Moving staircases! Pictures that open up to reveal secret places and things. Doors that move and change. This shouldnt just be a school for magic, this should be a school of magic."

"You've gone crazy." Salazar said. "Is that even possible?"

She snorted. "Everythings possible, Salazar. Everything. Put your mind to it and it can be done."

"Like moving staircases?"

"Broaden your mind, Slytherin!" She said, grinning. "Come on." She stood, walking over to Helga and grabbing her arm, pulling her out the room

"I think we're meant to follow." Godric said, getting up

"I feel like we are always following her around."

Godric shrugged. "She's smart." He stopped at the door, holding his hand up to his friend. "Sal... Don't ruin this for them. Please."

"I wasn't going to." His eyes narrowed. "And I would appreciate it if you would stop assuming the worst of me."

"Sorry." Godric sighed. "I just..." He shook his head, walking out of the room and following the echoing voices of the two girls.

"Look Helga." He could hear Rowena saying as he walked up to them. She was holding her arms up, looking up to the numerous staircases that lined the giant room. "You just take some of these away..." She waved her wand, and through out the room, with a pop, stairs started disappearing.

"Now how do they get everywhere?" Helga said.

"Like this." Another wave of her wand. "Godric, climb on the stairs."

He did so, with a small frown. The second his feet touched the stone, the staircase started to move, groaning as it rose.

"That won't work." Salazar drawled. "Here." He stepped over and whispered something into Rowena's ear.

She grinned, and they both raised their wands.

"I don't think-" Godric started, but he never finished the sentence. With a clunk, each staircase started moving, and the one he was on flew up to the ceiling. Godric grabbed hold of the bannister.

"IS THIS WISE?!" He yelled.

"ITS MAGIC." Rowena shouted back.

"That doesn't make it wise." Godric said as his staircase started to descend.

"It's safe." Salazar replied. "The spell she was using would only work if someone was on it. That would confuse it if many people went on at different times. This spell, however, makes the cases have set routes. It will just take a while to work out how to get places."

"And will it last?"

Rowena raised an eyebrow. "Are you doubting my spells, Gryffindor?"

"No?"

"Good." She smiled.

"Well." Helga said, looking up to the highest floor. "At least this answers on other question."

"Whats that?"

"Where students sleep." She looks around at them. "Godric. You want the brave? They sleep in the top floor. To navigate that every day would take bravery."

"That only gives one place of four, Helga."

"No. Sal...I found a place for you the other day." Her cheeks turn pink. "I was clearing it out."

"You found something for me?"

"Don't sound so surprised." She smiles, reaching forwards and taking his hand. She lead him back to the entrance hall, but instead of going through the tall door, she turned and opened a door in the shadows. Behind it lay a staircase down. "It looks bad at the moment but just..." She shakes her head and pulls him down, until they were in a long dark corridor. "Its at the end."

She let go, waiting for him to walk forwards. Only when he had opened the door and gasped did she approch.

It had taken her a day to work out how to do it. She had found the large room hidden down here, and knew, with some care, it could be beautiful. So she had cleaned it out, and destroyed one wall to see the strange blue of the lake. Only a magical shield stopped the water from dripping into the room, but it cast it in light that looked magical in its self.

"Its perfect." He muttered.

She grinned.

"How do you know me so well, Helga?"

She shrugged. "Because I listen to you, Sal. I'm glad you like it."

"I more than like it. I love it. And so will the students I teach."

She reaches up and kisses him on the cheek. "I'm glad."


End file.
